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Old Men & Cyber Codger-Lodges™—Seniors & Scam Artists!

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Noted Curmudgeons
Cyber Codger-Lodge™ Image

OK, so today we’re broadcasting our post from the “Cyber Codger-Lodge™,” but because it’s a cyber-visit to the lodge, we are compelled to let you know it is raining, and the temperature in Old Saint Paul is a seasonal 49ºF.

As you can see by the above graphic, it is sunny & warm, a computer controlled 72ºF both inside & outside the Lodge, and the flowers are in bloom. So why wouldn’t we of child-like imaginations imagine ourselves here?

Take a few minutes, grab a mug (you know the rest), and join us here on the virtual North Shore of Lake Superior, as we anticipate the semi-annual running of the piranha!

“Its spring,” Fred, with his unwavering grasp of the obvious, announced.

“Sure is,” Carl replied, gazing out at the virtual lake, “the piranha are getting restless, and we seniors all have marks on our doors, and targets on our backs!”

“It isn’t just seniors,” Harold added, “anyone may be targeted. It is truly amazing how many homes need new roofs, new siding, a fresh coat of paint and driveway sealing this time of year.”

“Money is no object, either,” Medford said, as he stirred cream & sugar into his mug of organically & shade-grown, fair trade, dark-roast coffee, “they all seem to know someone willing to extend credit for home improvements.”

“But seniors seem to be a favored target,” I said, “especially if they think their safety & security is in danger. Remember last August Med?”

“Oh yeah,” Medford replied, “you mean that nice young ‘City Department of Furnace Inspections’ inspector who stopped by your place, right?”

“That’s the one!” I said, and before I could continue…

“We were having coffee in Jay’s kitchen,” Med interrupted, obviously wanting very much to tell the story, “when we heard a knock on the door. Before this gimpy old coot could get to the door, we heard couple more knocks.”

“I opened the door, after checking through the sidelight to see who was there,” I added, “and revealed a very official looking fellow, holding a very official looking clipboard.”

“Jay asked him for his ID card,” Medford continued, “and he produced a very official-looking picture ID, and quicklyFake City Furnace Inspecter ID went into his routine: ‘I’m with the city furnace inspections department, and I’m here to inspect your furnace. Every winter, it seems houses blow up due to undetected gas leak, or other furnace malfunctions. The city is particularly concerned with our senior population, and is making an effort to ensure your safety.’ Jay asked the guy for a second picture ID, and asked me to call the city.”

“Yeah,” I added, with a big smile, “he was gone in an instant—musta had an appointment elsewhere!”

“The next day, he came to my house,” Medford said, “and when I answered the door, the look on his face was priceless. Too bad we were unable to get his auto license number.”

Be careful folks—the piranha are swimming and hungry!

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Comments (22)

Lysa Napolitano
Daytona Beach, FL

Hearing stories like that makes my face as red as a furnace working hard in -30º temps! I wonder what he was up to?

I like that you guys got him tho, thanks for the funny spin on it!

Mar 31, 2007 11:33 PM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Luke: Every year in late summer my furnace is inspected by a bonded contractor I’ve done business with for more than twenty years. This IS Minnesota, after all. Many don’t though—and pay dearly for emergency repairs. Thanks for asking.

Lucky: We asked around, and it appears he wasn’t so slick as he thought—he seemed to have disappeared without doning too much damage.

Lysa: We suspect he would have found a problem that needed immediate attention, and it would just so happen that he knew someone who could make the necessary repairs. We really SHOULD have played him longer, I guess.

Jay
Mar 31, 2007 11:58 PM
Chris Griffith
Downing-Frye Realty, Bonita Springs, FL - Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Springs Listing Specialist - Agent
I guess they'd be rapping on my door asking to test my air conditioner or water quality.... furnaces are electric here and used once a year.
Apr 01, 2007 12:24 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Chris: Sure, I expect they will find our AC units near failure—hasn’t happened yet—yet!

Jay
Apr 01, 2007 12:29 AM
Craig Schiller
Trempealeau, WI

You know guys... I started out reading with a big grin on my face. But then you hit me with the cold reality of this post... and I said out loud "OH WOW!!"

WHAT a scum hole. (I had a better word for Mr. Taylor but I decided not to use it).

Me

Apr 01, 2007 12:35 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Craig: I wanted to use my elder son’s photo on the fake ID card, but my scanner burped, so the photo is of the totally innocent #2 child of Boomer’s (he sent me the photo to prove the lad really does clean up pretty well).

Jay

Apr 01, 2007 12:42 AM
David A. Podgursky PA
THE PODGURSKY GROUP @ Re/Max Direct - Boynton Beach, FL
THE PODGURSKY GROUP - Make the Right Move!

this is part of the reason I'm writing my posts on Mortgages and Aging... there are too many things hurting today's seniors and I'm glad there's someone out there pointing out the obvious issues that might get past the average senior's security screening process....

it was only 60 miles away that the gentleman fell for the Nigerian Diplomat scam ... the secretary to the ousted monarch has $20M to deposit and give you 10% for letting them put it in your account for 7 days safe keeping...  he was a senior on Soc Sec and pension - he gave them his entire nest egg... and $25K more after he found out it was a scam!

Apr 01, 2007 12:49 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

David: I’ll warp over and visit your blog. I LOVE to play with the Nigerian scam artists—I guess it’s that little devil on my shoulder. It saddens me greatly when someone is successfully scammed.

Jay

Apr 01, 2007 12:57 AM
Bryant Tutas
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL
Selling Florida one home at a time
J ay, We have a lot of these scammers down here as well. You really have to careful these days. The sharks are out in full force. CBB
Apr 01, 2007 01:25 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

CBB: Your post about Sally & John got Med & I thinking about con artists and scammers, and we remembered that little incident. Some of he piranha swim north in the spring and pay us a visit, plus, we have our own all-weather piranha here!

Jay
Apr 01, 2007 01:38 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
That is pretty scary!  That guy belongs in a furnace.  We really need to open our eyes to how susceptible we can be - in Miami, because of our crime rate, it seems people are more aware....so you guys stay SMART and if you have any problems, TLW can always do her BAM!!  and I can do a couple of KICKS here and there!
Apr 01, 2007 02:53 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Ines: We’re cagey old coots—we’re still possessed of most of our faculties!

Jay
Apr 01, 2007 03:10 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
thank GOD for that Jay! - I wish I had as many "faculties" as you do!
Apr 01, 2007 03:46 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert
Jay, hopefully they will catch up with that guy.  To bad that you could not handle things like this the same way as you can in a Cyber Town.
Apr 01, 2007 08:02 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Ines: Those kind of faculties come with age--you'll get there--but don't rush. Possessing wisdom may defined as one who only touches a hot stove once.

George: Some may find this difficult to believe in light of our frequent excursions to our corner of Cyber-World, we are quite grounded in the real world. Word of his scam spread like wildfire last fall through the senior community here, and I've not heard about his antics since. In cyber-world, we'd have sent him on a one-way "Poof" to the swamp where he could try to scam the crocagators.

Jay 

Apr 01, 2007 08:29 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL

OK - I won't complain, according to your definition....I definitely have wisdom.

Apr 01, 2007 11:54 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Ines: We just knew there was something special about you! A noticible pre-codger wisdom must be showing through!

Jay & Med 

Apr 01, 2007 11:58 AM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast
This is sad.  When I lived in NYC my folks were the superintendents (on-site supervisor..less than a manager, more than a handyman)  One afternoon a very well dressed man accompanied an elderly lady into the elevator and "just happened to be going to her floor"..then her apartment as well.  She let him in thinking that the management had sent him to look into a complaint of a leak from the apartment below hers.  Thankfully she wasn't hurt and he just got away with some cash.  It could have been worse.  I hate it when the elderly are preyed upon.
Apr 01, 2007 02:21 PM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Maggie: Sad story, she was lucky. I'll up the ante...I don't like predatory scammers, no matter who they prey upon.

Jay 

Apr 01, 2007 08:15 PM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast
Well, Jay, of course you are right!
Apr 01, 2007 11:07 PM